After losing mother in Delhi car crash, 13-yr-old battles for life

Chetanya Sardana, the daughter of Poonam Sardana who died in the Punjabi Bagh car crash on Friday night, has sustained critical injuries, her family members said. The 13-year-old’s eyes and brain has been damaged severely, her family said.

Sonia Sardana, Poonam’s sister-in-law, said Chetanya sustained multiple fractures on her face. They said they have donated Poonam’s eyes as they were told by doctors that in case Chetanya needed an eye, the donation would ensure they would be given an eye “on priority”. Chetanya was not in a condition to be operated by Saturday, they said.

“Pieces of shattered glass have pierced her eyes damaging them badly... Doctors have said that she has also developed air gaps in her brain and therefore cannot be given anaesthesia for a surgery,” Sonia said.

She added that Chetanya’s ear drum had also been damaged. “Doctors have told us she can develop further complications doctors,” she said. She said doctors told them that it was not possible to preserve Poonam’s eyes for more than two days and that there was no guarantee that Chetanya’s condition may stabilise in that period.

On Friday night, Sardana family’s get-together on Bhai Dooj turned into mourning when their car was rammed by another car being driven by a woman under the influence of alcohol. They said they were on their way home from a temple in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur when the accident happened.

Chetanya’s father Vimal, who was driving their Mahindra Quanto car, said he initially spotted the errant Maruti S-Cross car on the other side of the divider being driven rashly. Within two-to-four seconds the car had jumped onto their lane and hit them before he could react. “It just sprang up and crashed into us. It was like straight out from a movie,” said Vimal.

Poonam sustained injuries in her head and back causing her death instantly, he said. Chetanya, a Class 8 student, who was sitting next to the right rear window, is battling life at Fortis Hospital, Punjabi Bagh.

Abhishek Sardana, Vimal and Poonam’s nephew, said the locals and their family members had apprehended the woman who was driving the other car.

The police said that adequate measures have been taken and a case has already been lodged under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code and the 22-year-old woman, Shivani Malik, who was allegedly driving the other car has been arrested. Deputy commissioner of police (west) Monika Bhardwaj said that besides charging Malik with sections such as rash and negligent driving, causing death due to negligence, police have also booked her for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. “We are probing the matter diligently,” the DCP said.